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Listeria spurs additional Pecorino aged cheese recall in 9 states

Forever Cheese Inc. is recalling Mitica brand imported Pecorino Aged Cheese in Walnut Leaves that was shipped to nine states because of possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

“The recall was the result of a routine sampling program by Forever Cheese which revealed that the imported cheese tested positive for the bacteria,” according to the recall notice on the Food and Drug Administration website.

Earlier today Whole Foods Market also recalled imported Pecorino Aged Cheese in Walnut Leaves from single retail locations in New York City and West Palm Beach, FL.

“A sampling of the products tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes during a routine inspection conducted by the supplier,” according to Austin-based Whole Foods Market’s recall notice.

Neither recall notice identified the country of origin or named the producer of the cheese, but the Whole Foods recall notice includes a photo of a label showing the cheese is a product of Italy.

Forever Cheese, based in Long Island City, NY, sold the Mitica branded cheese to restaurants and retailers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Ohio, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Virginia and Florida.

The Forever Cheese recall includes 40 cases with the production code NOC15313 and invoiced as Lot X2537. The labels are also printed with “Pecorino Foglie di Noci.”

“Each shipping case contains two wheels of varying weights; each wheel weighs a minimum of 2 pounds. The Mitica brand Pecorino Aged in Walnut Leaves cheese has a natural grayish rind, and will be labeled at the point of sale at the retail level or on a restaurant menu,” according to the recall notice.

All distributors and retailers had been contacted about the recall, according to the notice.

Consumers should check their homes and discard any Mitica brand Pecorino Aged in Walnut Leaves cheese that has the recalled lot number. Consumers with questions should contact Sarah Weisensel at Forever Cheese at 1-888-930-8693, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women.